I don't know if a lot of people know his football story and coming up as a quarterback. When Cozart went to Bishop Miege his main sport was basketball. He didn't even play football as a freshman. As a sophomore he played varsity corner and later in the year got some snaps at quarterback. That was the year Miege had Max Shortell who signed with Minnesota.
Cozart never took full-time snaps as a quarterback until his junior year in high school. He had a really good junior and senior year and learned the system. He was well coached. Miege has always had good offensive people on staff and a good system. I think they were able to bring him along quicker than most high school staffs would. They ran a spread offense and was able to teach it to him pretty quick and he caught on.
When Cozart went to KU as a true freshman I thought all along there was absolutely no way to play him. Although he has talent and tools he needed a redshirt year. Having only two years of high school quarterback and moving to the Big 12 requires a learning curve. So he gets his redshirt pulled and now we all know it was too early in hindsight. He spends his sophomore year as the starter in the early part of the year and then gets pulled.
I'm not saying he shouldn't have been pulled. But the kid has been used like a yo-yo his first two years in college. You have to remember these kids are still 18-19 years old. I always wonder what kind of toll that takes on a young player mentally. Especially someone like Cozart who was thrown into the mix long before he was ready. Then to get pulled his next year as the starter.
I know people will refer to when he ran out of bounds a yard short at Iowa State. I get all of that. Some people will say that's all about heart. But it can also be about the program, the system, and the coaching. I'm not shooting bullets at the last staff. I'm just pointing out you have to give him a chance and see if Likens and his system can benefit some of his strengths. Maybe Likens can connect with him and build a trust. That is huge with a QB and OC/QB coach.
Cozart has been through a lot as a young quarterback. Maybe going through the tough times makes him better going forward. I know they've worked a lot on the zone read in practice. I saw Cozart keep the ball and have a couple nice gains during scrimmage. He looked more comfortable tucking it and running. If he gets it going he can be effective because he can make plays with his feet. He can keep defenses honest. He still has to make the throws and execute.
I'm looking forward to seeing what he can do in the first few games. I look at it as a clean slate for Cozart. I keep hearing people say Trevone Boykin at TCU who benefited from a coaching change and a new system. There's a long way to go to match that comparison. But a fresh new start can change the way a player approaches the game.
Cozart never took full-time snaps as a quarterback until his junior year in high school. He had a really good junior and senior year and learned the system. He was well coached. Miege has always had good offensive people on staff and a good system. I think they were able to bring him along quicker than most high school staffs would. They ran a spread offense and was able to teach it to him pretty quick and he caught on.
When Cozart went to KU as a true freshman I thought all along there was absolutely no way to play him. Although he has talent and tools he needed a redshirt year. Having only two years of high school quarterback and moving to the Big 12 requires a learning curve. So he gets his redshirt pulled and now we all know it was too early in hindsight. He spends his sophomore year as the starter in the early part of the year and then gets pulled.
I'm not saying he shouldn't have been pulled. But the kid has been used like a yo-yo his first two years in college. You have to remember these kids are still 18-19 years old. I always wonder what kind of toll that takes on a young player mentally. Especially someone like Cozart who was thrown into the mix long before he was ready. Then to get pulled his next year as the starter.
I know people will refer to when he ran out of bounds a yard short at Iowa State. I get all of that. Some people will say that's all about heart. But it can also be about the program, the system, and the coaching. I'm not shooting bullets at the last staff. I'm just pointing out you have to give him a chance and see if Likens and his system can benefit some of his strengths. Maybe Likens can connect with him and build a trust. That is huge with a QB and OC/QB coach.
Cozart has been through a lot as a young quarterback. Maybe going through the tough times makes him better going forward. I know they've worked a lot on the zone read in practice. I saw Cozart keep the ball and have a couple nice gains during scrimmage. He looked more comfortable tucking it and running. If he gets it going he can be effective because he can make plays with his feet. He can keep defenses honest. He still has to make the throws and execute.
I'm looking forward to seeing what he can do in the first few games. I look at it as a clean slate for Cozart. I keep hearing people say Trevone Boykin at TCU who benefited from a coaching change and a new system. There's a long way to go to match that comparison. But a fresh new start can change the way a player approaches the game.
